Oh, for Lara of old

Perth-Not unusually, the attention on Brian Lara in the Australian media the past couple of weeks has been focused as much on his relationships with an Indian bookmaker and a beautiful blond model as on his batting form.

Neither the allegations made by Mukhesh Gupta against him in the Indian CBI report into match-fixing nor the constant presence of Lynsey Ward by his side are as relevant to the purpose for which Lara is here.

As they start the second Test against Australia at the WACA tomorrow (11 p.m. today Caribbean time), the West Indies need their champion batsman in the form and mood with which, virtually single-handed, he turned around the home series against the same opposition last year.

The left-hander was twice victim to his old adversary, Glenn McGrath, for 0 and 4, in the first Test in Brisbane that gave Australia their 11th straight Test victory and the West Indies their 14th overseas loss in 16 Tests, beaten by an innings and 126 runs in three days.

McGrath, two wickets away from joining Shane Warne and Dennis Lillee as Australians with 300 Test wickets, has now dismissed Lara 12 times in Tests, a statistic accentuated by the Press and McGrath himself.

West Indies coach Roger Harper pointed out yesterday that his team had to disregard all the fuss over Lara, his duel with McGrath, the hype over Brett Lee's aim to send down the game's first recorded 100 miles-an-hour delivery and Australia's confidence that they will stretch their winning sequence to a record 12 matches.

"We want to concentrate on what's going on out in the middle and not on these little distractions and head games that are going on, either from Australian players or members in the Press," he said.

"I really feel the game is played in the middle and if Brian bats anywhere near to where he's capable of batting the truth will be shown out in the middle," Harper noted in reference to McGrath's assertion yesterday that he has targeted Lara as his 300th victim, after Sherwin Campbell as his 299th.

Lara comes into the match on the back of his first Test failures but with the encouragement of 132 at the WACA in the last series in Australia when McGrath was in the opposition attack and when the West Indies recorded their fifth successive Test victory on the ground.

There is also the memory of Lara's brilliance in the Caribbean last year when he hit 213, a match-winning 153 and 100 in successive Tests as the West Indies drew the series.

Harper said Lara had then given "a true display of what he was capable of".

"I don't think we should forget that," the coach added. "He hasn't lost that ability. We all know that. It's just a matter of going out there, sticking to the basics and producing the goods."

The question of where Lara should bat has occupied the attention of former players, both Australian and West Indian. Harper declared that no "final determination" had been made but said that Lara had made a commitment to No. 3 at the start of the tour and was "still happy" with his position.

Former Australian captain Allan Border and West Indies selector Joey Carew, Lara's mentor in his development years, believe Lara should move down to No.4. Former Trinidad and Tobago off-spinner Ranjie Nanan, now one of the island's selectors, would like to see him down at No. 4.

"If you had Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes opening the innings, I'd have Lara at No. 3 but you just sense this series he is going to be in too early every time," Border said here. The issue may be settled by the introduction of Wavell Hinds to replace Ramnaresh Sarwan who has had four successive ducks in the last two matches, against Victoria and the Brisbane Test, and who is likely to be given time to recover form and confidence.

Hinds, the tall, clean-hitting Jamaican left-hander, batted at No. 3 in all five Tests in England in the summer with Lara at No. 4 and, unless Lara is adamant he wants to stay at one down, that is how it will be here.

Harper recognised Sarwan had had a rough introduction on his first tour of Australia.

"We have to ensure that he is confident in his mind about his own game and try to get him back playing his own game," Harper said. "Sure, it's a delicate situation," he added. "I think outwardly he is showing a very brave face and positive frame of mind, but naturally anyone experiencing that (failures) would ask themselves certain questions."

"We all know the talent this young man has, the sort of quality he displayed in his first Test against Pakistan and on the tour of England, so it shows he has the fibre to perform at this level."

In the circumstances, it is better Sarwan be given a little time to regain his composure before performing at this level again.

The teams:

West Indies (likely): Jimmy Adams (captain), Sherwin Campbell, Daren Ganga, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ridley Jacobs, Nixon McLean, Merv Dillon, Marlon Black and Courtney Walsh.

Australia (from): Steve Waugh (captain), Michael Slater, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee, Andy Bichel, Stuart McGill and Glenn McGrath.

Umpires: Peter Parker (Australia), John Hampshire (England).

TV replays: Randolph Woolridge (Australia).

Match referee: Alan Smith (England).